THE 

FIRST  YEAR 

OF 

PRINTING 

IN 

NEW-YORK 

May,  1693  to  April,  1694 


By  Wilberforce  Eames,  LL.D.,  Litt.D. 
bibliographer  of  the  Library 


i$i 


At  New- York 
Printed  by  The  New -Tor ^Public  Library 
In  the  Tearig  28 


Ex  Safaris 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gin  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING 
IN   NEW  YORK 


* 


THE 

FIRST  YEAR 

OF 

PRINTING 

IN 

NEW-YORK 

May,  1693  to  April,  1694 


By  Wilberforce  Eames,  LL.D.,  Litt.D. 
bibliographer  of  the  Library 


At  New-York 
Printed  by  The  New -Yor \Public  Library 
In  the  Year  1928 


oPfeff*- 
MS(p 


REPRINTED  FEBRUARY  1926 
FROM  THE 

BULLETIN  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

OF  JANUARY  1928 
PRINTED  AT  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


form  p239  [ii-1-28  6c] 


THE 

CONDITIONS    tOR  NEW-PLANTERS 
V.  *  ft   die.  Territories   of  His        ifOT^A       H I  QH  N  ES 
|  •  „  THE 

DUKE    o*  YORK 


r  HE  Purchlfes  ire  to  be  mide  from  the  >*fi4»  S*a»»»l  and  to  be  Recorded 
£  pj  Sfe,  before  tbe  c/.»«m«r. 

Tbe  Purchafers  ire  not  to  pay  fi*  their  liberty  or  pcachalinf  to  the 

the  Purchafcrs  are  to  fet  c*t  a  Town,  and  Inhabit  together. 

No  Purchaser  ftull  at  an;  tin*  cootract  for  himCdf  with  any  Smkim,  without  coofiaor 

of  bis  ^  flociaies :  or  fpecial  Warrant  from  the  G rwraaar  i 

TbcPurcKafen  are  free  from  all  manner  of  AiTelTaaentsot  Ram  for  fire  years  after  tbeie 
Town-fix  it  let  our,  and  when  the  fife  jeara  are  expired,  they  Bull  only  be  liahic  to  thv 
public*  Ratta,  and  PiyrbraO  accordMg  W  tt*  TJatrxrl/T*  »t*^hOTiVfcW£ag&j» 
and  Did*  . 

A  |]  Lands  thus  Purcbafcd,  and  poffeft  fhall  remain  to  the  Parchaiert,  and  their  Hare*; 
aafree  Lands  to  difpofe  of  at  they  pleaie. 

In  all  Territoriea  of  bit  ROYAL  HlGHNtS,  Liberty  of  CoadcJaoce  i* 

allowed,  Provided  fuch  Liberty  b  not  converted  to  IJrcnriniifnr.lt, or  the  duWbance  of  othem 
in  the  exercitc  of  the  Prutcftanc  Religion. 

Tbefeveral  Townfhipt  have  liberty  to  make  their  peculiar  Laws,  and  Deciding  all  (mall 
Causes  wiihio  tbemfclres. 

The  Lands  which  1  intend  fhall  be  firft  PUnted,  are  tbc/c  upon  the  Wei  fide  of 
Ifvdftn  -Rtvtr,  at,  or  adjoyning  to  the  S*fti,  but  if  any  number  of  men  (utBcient  for  two 
or  three,  or  more  Towns,  dull  drfiie  to  plant  upon  toy  other  Lands  they  fbail  have  all  due 
encouragement  proportionable  to  their  Quality, and  undertakings. 

■i  > 

Evrry  Townfbip  is  Obliged  to  pay  their  *JMi—flir,  according  to  Tuch  agreement  a» 
thei  (VuHnvke  with  bim,  and  no  man  to  refute  his  Proportion,  tbe  ^timptr  being  elected 
'  y  ihc  M.  for  part  of  tbe  Hon febokkii Inhabitants  o!  the  /•»•, 

^•'•''fcrTTf'TWtriTiip^        fmcLtke  of  aO  their officers  both  Chjil, and  Military,  and 
1 Ineo  who  fhaH  take  tbe  Oatb  of  Allegiance  to  bis  and  are  not  Servants,  or. 

[..ty-labrnrcis:  but  are  admitted  to  enjoy  Ttw>--I*"i  are  e^Lecmeii  frcrmen  of  tbajurifdi&ioo, 
■a  cannot  foi  fat  the  fame  without  due  procefi  in  Law. 


FIRST  OFFICIAL  PUBLICATION  OF  NEW  YORK 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 
MAY,  1693 -APRIL,  1694 


BY 

WILBERFORCE  EAMES,  LL.D.,  Litt.D. 
Bibliographer  of  the  Library 

THE  first  official  printing  for  the  colony  of  New  York  was  in  May, 
1665,  when  Governor  Richard  Nicolls  "made  a  journey  through  the 
Woods  to  Boston,  and  returne  back  in  a  moneths  tyme."  While  there,  he 
had  a  broadside  sheet  printed  at  Cambridge  by  Samuel  Green,  with  the  title 
heading:  "The  \  \  Conditions  for  New  Planters  \  \  In  the  Territories  of  His 
Royal  Highnes  \  \  the  \  \  Duke  of  York."  The  object  of  this  publication  was 
to  induce  people  in  New  England  to  come  into  the  colony  of  New  York, 
and  build  a  town  on  the  west  side  of  Hudson's  river  in  Ulster  county,  near 
the  Esopus  creek.  Writing  to  the  Earl  of  Clarendon,  on  July  30,  1665,  he 
says,  "when  I  was  last  at  Boston,  I  did  engage  a  hundred  famillyes  to  re- 
moove,  and  dispersed  -printed  papers  for  their  Encouragement."  A  single 
copy  of  this  broadside  has  survived,  among  the  Winthrop  papers  presented 
to  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society  by  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  in  March, 
1 864,  and  is  reproduced  here  in  facsimile,  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Julius 
H.  Tuttle,  the  librarian. 

Another  official  work  which  Governor  Nicolls  desired  to  have  printed  was 
the  code  of  laws  for  the  colony,  compiled  "out  of  those  of  Boston,  New- 
haven,  Mary  Land  or  Virginia,"  and  first  published  by  proclamation  at 
Hempstead  on  Long  Island,  in  March,  1665,  generally  known  as  the  Duke 
of  York's  Laws.  In  his  letter  to  the  Earl  of  Clarendon,  he  mentioned  his 
intention  of  having  them  reviewed  and  amended  at  the  General  Assizes  to 
be  held  in  September,  and  then  forwarded  to  his  Royal  Highness  for  authen- 
tication, suggesting  that  "if  they  were  printed  and  imediately  sent  over  they 
would  bee  fully  satisfactory  to  these  parts,  and  of  some  consequence  to  his 
Majesties  Interest,  in  relation  to  the  other  Collonies."  Writing  again  on 
April  7,  1666,  he  stated  that  they  had  been  remitted  for  confirmation,  and 
that  he  hoped  his  Royal  Highness  would  "dispatch  this  New  body  of  Lawes 
in  print  without  Alterations."  They  remained  in  manuscript,  however,  until 
printed  for  the  New  York  Historical  Society  in  1811. 

[3] 


4  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

An  unsuccessful  attempt  to  procure  an  official  printer  for  the  colony  was 
made  by  the  next  governor,  Francis  Lovelace,  who  arrived  at  New  York  in 
March,  1668.  This  effort  was  mentioned  by  Lovelace  in  a  letter  to  the 
Rev.  Thomas  James,  minister  of  the  church  at  Easthampton,  who  was 
preparing  a  catechism  in  the  language  of  the  Montauk  Indians  at  the  east  end 
of  Long  Island.  In  this  letter,  dated  from  New  York,  November  19,  1668, 
he  requested  a  fair  transcript  of  the  catechism,  which  he  said  he  would  send 
over  to  England  and  have  quantities  of  them  printed  there,  "though  I  am 
not  out  of  hopes  ere  long  to  have  a  printer  here  of  my  owne,  having  already 
sent  to  Boston  for  one,  but  whether  I  shall  speed  or  no  I  am  uncertaine." 
No  evidence  has  been  found  that  the  Indian  catechism  was  ever  printed. 

During  the  twenty-five  years  that  elapsed  before  printing  was  actually 
introduced  into  New  York,  the  attitude  of  the  royal  government  was  un- 
favorable to  popular  representation  and  to  the  liberty  of  the  press.  This 
feeling  was  expressed  in  the  words  of  Sir  William  Berkeley,  governor  of 
Virginia,  in  1671,  replying  to  the  inquiries  of  the  lords'  commissioners  of 
foreign  plantations,  propounded  to  him  in  1 670.  In  answering  the  23d  ques- 
tion, "What  course  is  taken  about  the  instructing  the  people  within  your 
government  in  the  christian  religion,"  etc.,  he  replied:  "The  same  course 
that  is  taken  in  England  out  of  towns;  every  man  according  to  his  ability 
instructing  his  children.  But,  I  thank  God,  there  are  no  free  schools  nor 
printing,  and  I  hope  we  shall  not  have  these  hundred  years;  for  learning  has 
brought  disobedience,  and  heresy,  and  sects  into  the  world,  and  printing  has 
divulged  them,  and  libels  against  the  best  government.  God  keep  us  from 
both!" 

When  Sir  Edmund  Andros  became  governor,  in  1674,  the  people  of  New 
York  forwarded  a  petition  to  the  king  asking  for  the  privilege  of  having  an 
Assembly  of  Representatives,  which  request  was  refused  with  the  remark, 
"What  do  they  want  with  Assemblies?  They  have  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions,  presided  over  by  the  Governor  j  or,  if  this  is  not  enough,  they  can 
appeal  to  me."  However,  on  the  appointment  of  the  next  governor,  Colonel 
Thomas  Dongan,  in  1682,  the  royal  instructions  included  an  order  for  the 
election  of  a  General  Assembly  of  all  the  freeholders,  which  was  to  cooper- 
ate with  the  governor  in  establishing  fit  and  necessary  laws. 

On  the  death  of  King  Charles  II,  in  February,  1685,  the  Duke  of  York 
became  king  as  James  II,  and  New  York  ceased  to  be  a  proprietary  govern- 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK  5 

ment.  New  instructions  were  therefore  sent  to  Governor  Dongan,  dated 
May  29,  1686,  among  which  is  the  following: 

"65.  And  for  as  much  as  great  inconvenience  may  arise  by  the 
liberty  of  printing  within  our  province  of  New  York;  you  are  to 
provide  by  all  necessary  Orders  that  noe  person  keep  any  press  for 
printing,  nor  that  any  book,  pamphlet  or  other  matters  whatsoever 
bee  printed  without  your  especial  leave  &  license  first  obtained." 

Even  after  the  revolution  of  1688,  the  same  instructions  were  given  under 
William  and  Mary;  and  when  Colonel  Benjamin  Fletcher  was  appointed 
governor,  in  March,  1692,  he  was  required  to  exercise  censorship  over  the 
printing-press. 

Governor  Fletcher  arrived  in  New  York  at  the  end  of  August,  1692,  and 
was  received  with  appropriate  ceremonies  by  Mayor  Abraham  De  Peyster, 
the  Common  Council,  and  the  Council  of  the  province.  Among  the  first 
matters  requiring  his  attention,  the  Assembly  being  then  in  session,  were  the 
passing  of  two  acts  to  provide  for  the  raising  and  paying  of  troops  to  defend 
the  northern  frontiers  at  Albany  and  Schenectady,  against  the-attacks  of  the 
French  from  Canada  and  their  Indian  allies.  Early  in  October  he  made  a 
visit  to  Albany  to  inspect  the  fortifications,  and  to  organize  the  military  de- 
fense in  accordance  with  these  acts.  At  the  next  Assembly,  October  24  to 
November  14,  1692,  he  carried  out  another  of  his  instructions  by  urging  the 
unwilling  representatives  to  pass  an  act  for  the  settling  and  support  of  the 
ministry  of  the  Church  of  England,  which  request  he  was  obliged  to  repeat 
at  the  two  following  sessions  before  it  was  done,  a  year  later.  He  did  succeed, 
however,  in  having  acts  passed  at  this  session  for  raising  revenue  to  support 
the  government,  to  establish  Courts  of  Judicature,  and  to  encourage  a  Post- 
Office. 

On  Sunday  night,  February  12,  1693,  Governor  Fletcher  was  notified 
by  a  messenger  from  Ulster  County,  that  550  French  and  Indians  had  arrived 
within  twenty  miles  of  Schenectady  to  attack  the  frontiers.  He  immediately 
ordered  out  the  city  militia,  selected  150  of  the  fittest  men,  and  ordering  50 
more  from  Kings  County  and  120  from  Queens  County  to  follow  after,  set 
sail  in  eight  sloops  up  the  Hudson  on  Tuesday  afternoon  the  14th,  and  not- 
withstanding much  ice  in  the  river,  reached  Albany  on  Friday  morning  the 
1 7th.  From  there  he  at  once  pushed  on  to  Schenectady,  twenty  miles  away, 
where  he  arrived  at  5  o'clock  of  the  same  day,  it  being  "extream  bad  cold 


6  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

snowy  weather."  Here  he  found  that  the  enemy  had  retired,  after  burning 
three  of  the  fortified  Mohawk  villages,  and  carrying  away  captive  upwards 
of  130  Indian  women  and  children ;  and  that  they  were  being  pursued  along 
the  Mohawk  river  by  the  militia  from  Albany  under  Major  Peter  Schuyler. 
After  staying  here  four  days,  until  the  pursuers  returned,  they  all  marched 
back  to  Albany,  where  the  governor  remained  until  the  27th,  when  he  re- 
embarked  with  his  men  for  New  York,  arriving  there  on  Thursday  morning, 
March  2. 

The  promptness  of  the  governor  in  this  expedition  much  enhanced  his 
reputation.  The  Indians  of  the  Five  Nations  conferred  on  him  the  name, 
Brother  Cayenquirago,  which  signifies  a  great  swift  arrow,  "because  of  his 
speedy  arrival  here,  with  so  many  men  for  their  Relief."  The  mayor,  alder- 
men and  commonalty  of  Albany  presented  an  address  of  thanks  for  his  Ex- 
cellency's special  care  to  that  city,  seated  near  150  miles  up  in  the  country, 
that  he  should  "within  two  days  after  notice  received  from  hence,  make  that 
dispatch  as  to  be  here  so  suddainly  with  300  men,  and  sufficient  Provisions 
and  Stores  of  War  for  our  immediate  Relief,  which  was  more  than  ever 
could  be  expected  in  this  Winter  Season."  And  at  the  opening  meeting  of  the 
next  Assembly  at  New  York,  three  weeks  later,  the  House  of  Representatives 
voted  special  thanks  "for  his  care  of  the  Frontiers  of  this  Province,  by  the 
great  Dispatch  he  made  in  His  Personal  Appearance  there,  upon  the  late 
Invasion  of  the  French." 

All  this  praise  was  gratifying  to  Governor  Fletcher,  and  he  desired  to  have 
a  narrative  of  the  details  put  in  print.  He  therefore  ordered  Colonel  Nicholas 
Bayard,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Charles  Lodowick  and  Major  Peter  Schuyler 
to  supply  him  with  written  reports  of  what  took  place.  It  was  necessary,  also, 
to  obtain  a  printer.  To  carry  out  this  requirement,  on  the  same  day  that  the 
thanks  of  the  Assembly  were  presented,  Thursday,  March  23,  1693,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  passed  by  the  governor  and  council,  those  present  on 
the  occasion,  besides  Fletcher,  being  Frederick  Philipse,  Stephen  Van  Cort- 
landt,  Nicholas  Bayard,  Gabriel  Minvielle,  Chidley  Brooke,  William  Nicolls, 
John  Lawrence,  and  Caleb  Heathcote: 

"It  is  resolved  in  Council  that  if  a  printer  will  come  and  settle  in 
the  City  of  Newyorke  for  the  printing  of  our  Acts  of  Assembly  & 
publick  papers  he  shall  be  allowed  the  summe  of  fourty  pounds 
Current  money  of  Newyorke  per  annum  for  his  sallary  &  have  the 
benefite  of  his  printing  besides  what  serves  the  publick." 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK  7 

In  the  meantime  William  Bradford,  printer  in  Philadelphia,  having 
given  offence  to  the  magistrates  by  printing  one  of  George  Keith's  contro- 
versial pieces,  was  arrested  and  brought  before  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
in  September,  1 692,  a  quantity  of  his  types  and  other  printing  utensils  being 
seized  and  impounded  at  the  same  time.  Pleading  not  guilty,  he  was  held 
under  nominal  confinement  for  trial  in  December.  The  trial  resulted  in  the 
jury's  disagreement,  and  as  Bradford  failed  to  obtain  release  or  return  of  his 
property  on  this  occasion  or  at  the  next  Court  session  in  March,  1693,  he  ap- 
pealed directly  to  Governor  Fletcher,  who  had  been  commissioned  also  gov- 
ernor of  Pennsylvania.  Under  these  circumstances  there  was  no  delay  on  his 
part  in  accepting  the  invitation  for  a  printer,  and  among  the  bills  signed  by 
the  governor  on  the  adjournment  of  the  Assembly,  Monday,  April  10th, 
was  Bradford's  appointment  as  Royal  Printer  at  New  York.  Ten  days  later, 
in  the  Civil  List  compiled  on  April  20th,  the  entry  appears,  "Allowed  to  a 
printer,"  per  annum,  £40.  On  the  26th  of  April,  Governor  Fletcher  went 
to  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  for  six  weeks.  One  of  the  first  matters 
receiving  his  attention  there,  on  April  27,  was  Bradford's  petition.  The 
printer  was  present  at  the  examination  and  gave  his  testimony,  after  which 
his  types  and  tools  were  ordered  to  be  returned  to  him,  and  his  freedom  from 
the  former  arrest  was  assured. 

Bradford  was  then  near  thirty  years  of  age,  having  been  born  on  May  20, 
1663,  according  to  the  statement  in  the  Almanac  of  1739.  He  had  learned 
his  trade  in  the  London  shop  of  Andrew  Sowle,  whose  daughter  Elizabeth 
he  married  before  setting  up  his  own  press  at  Philadelphia,  towards  the  end 
of  the  year  1685,  and  when  he  removed  to  New  York,  in  1693,  his  son 
Andrew  was  about  seven  years  old.  It  was  probably  early  in  May  before  he 
got  settled  in  his  new  home,  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible,  in  New  York,  the 
location  of  which  in  Dock  street  has  been  commemorated  by  the  placing  of  a 
tablet  at  No.  8 1  Pearl  street.  As  the  governor  was  busy  with  affairs  in  Penn- 
sylvania during  the  whole  month,  it  is  likely  that  the  legislative  printing  was 
not  started  until  after  his  return  to  New  York,  early  in  June.  There  is  no 
way  to  determine  with  certainty  the  exact  order  in  which  the  different  pub- 
lications left  the  press,  and  the  arrangement  of  titles  which  follows  is  more 
or  less  arbitrary.  The  earliest  form  of  the  imprint  reads:  Printed  and  Sold 
by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  King  William  and  Queen  Mary,  at  the 
City  of  New-York,  1693.  In  July  or  August,  the  words,  At  the  Sign  of  the 
Bible,  were  first  added. 


8 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


SUMMARY 


1. 

2. 


May,  1693 

New  England's  Spirit  of  Persecution,  1693. 
A  Paraphrastical  Exposition,  1693. 


June,  1693 


3.  Act  for  One  Penny  per  Pound,  Nov.  12,  1692. 

4.  Act  against  Pirates,  Sept.  10.  1692,  1st  issue. 

5.  Act  against  Pirates,  Sept.  1 0,  1 692,  2d  issue. 

6.  Act  for  raising  £6000,  April  10,  1693,  1st  issue. 

7.  Act  for  raising  £6000,  April  1 0,  1 693,  2d  issue. 

8.  Pennsylvania  Act  for  One  Penny  per  Pound,  June  2,  1693. 

9.  Proclamation  on  the  Lord's  Day,  April  29,  1693. 

10.  First  license  to  Warner  Wessels,  etc.,  June  8,  1693. 

1 1.  The  same  in  Dutch,  June  8,  1693. 

12.  Second  license  to  Warner  Wessels,  etc.,  June  8,  1693. 

13.  The  Philadelphia  Address,  June  2,  1693. 

14.  Narrative  of  an  Attempt  by  the  French,  March  22,  1693. 


15.  City  Ordinance  on  dimensions  of  cask,  July  10,  1693. 

16.  Journal  of  a  Treaty  with  the  Five  Nations,  July,  1693. 

17.  City  Address  to  Gov.  Fletcher,  July  20,  1693. 


1 8.  Proclamation  dissolving  the  Assembly,  July  27,  1693. 

19.  Acts  of  Assembly,  April,  1691,  to  April,  1692,  pp.  1-52. 


20.  Proclamation  against  exporting  provisions,  Aug.  19,  1693. 

21.  Proclamation  on  erecting  fire  beacons,  Aug.  25,  1693. 


July,  1693 


July- August,  1693 


August,  1693 


September-October,  1693 


22. 
23. 
24. 


Catalogue  of  Fees,  Sept.  20,  1693. 
Exhortation  concerning  Negroes,  Oct.  13,  1693. 
Proclamation  to  Connecticut,  Oct.  28,  1693. 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


9 


November-December,  1693 

25.  Proclamation  to  Connecticut,  Nov.  8,  1693. 

26.  Proclamation  relating  to  deserters,  Nov.  13,  1693. 

27.  Account  of  several  Passages,  Oct.,  1693. 

28.  Proclamation  dissolving  the  Assembly,  Nov.  16,  1693. 

29.  Acts  of  Assembly,  Aug.,  1692,  to  Sept.,  1693,  pp.  53  ff. 

30.  Almanac  for  1694. 

January-February,  1694 

31.  The  Laws  and  Acts,  1694,  Nos.  19  and  29  completed. 

32.  City  Ordinance  for  a  Battery,  Jan.  25,  1694. 

33.  Some  Seasonable  Considerations  for  Connecticut,  1694. 

March-April,  1694 

34.  Proclamation  for  a  Fast,  March  3,  1694. 

35.  Acts  of  Assembly,  March,  1694,  pp.  85-92. 

36.  Keith's  Truth  Advanced,  1694. 

Date  Uncertain 

37.  Lancaster's  Queries  to  the  Quakers,  fragment. 

38.  Catechism  for  Children,  fragment. 

[No.  1.]  New-England's  Spirit  of  Persecution  ||  Transmitted  To  | 
Pennsilvania,  1 1  And  the  Pretended  Quaker  found  Persecuting  the  True  | 
Christian-Quaker,  1 1  in  the  1 1  Tryal  1 1  of  1 1  Peter  Boss,  George  Keith,  Thomas 
Budd,  1 1  and  William  Bradford,  1 1  At  the  Sessions  held  at  Philadelphia  the 
Nineth,  Tenth  and  1 1  Twelfth  Days  of  December,  1 692.  Giving  an  Account 
|  of  the  most  Arbitrary  Procedure  of  that  Court.  ||  Printed  in  the  Year 
1693.  ||  Quarto,  pp.  title  reverse  blank,  and  1—38.  Sheetmarks  A,  B,  C,  E, 
and  F  in  fours,  counting  the  title  as  F4.  No  sheetmark  D. 

This  seems  to  be  the  joint  production  of  George  Keith  and  Thomas  Budd,  including 
Bradford's  own  account  of  the  trial.  As  it  mentions  the  next  Court  Session  of  March,  1693, 
it  could  hardly  have  been  printed  before  May.  The  book  was  reprinted  in  London  the  same 
year,  with  license  dated  October  19,  1693,  and  the  title,  "The  Tryals  of  Peter  Boss,  George 
Keith,  Thomas  Budd,  and  William  Bradford,"  etc.  Mr.  Hildeburn  has  called  attention  to 
the  obliteration  by  pen  and  ink  in  some  copies  of  a  sentence  on  page  7  and  two  on  page  8,  and 
that  in  the  London  edition  those  places  were  left  blank.  Both  editions  are  in  The  New  York 
Public  Library,  the  former  being  without  the  obliterations.  A  copy  in  the  library  of  the  Ameri- 
can Antiquarian  Society,  which  lacks  the  title,  has  a  manuscript  note  at  the  foot  of  page  1: 
"Printed  by  William  Bradford  and  perhaps  the  first  book  printed  at  New  York." 


10 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


[No.  2.]  A  Paraphrastical  Exposition  ||  on  a  ||  Letter  ||  From  a  Gentle- 
man in  1 1  Philadelphia  1 1  To  his  Friend  in  1 1  Boston  1 1  Concerning  a  certain 
Person  who  com-  1 1  pared  himself  to  Mordecai.  1 1  Printed  in  the  Year  1 693.  1 1 
Quarto,  pp.  8.  No  sheetmark. 

By  John  Philly  or  Phillips,  the  former  spelling  appearing  in  "New-England's  Spirit  of 
Persecution,"  page  23,  and  the  latter  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Monthly  Meeting, 
held  7th  Mo.  1693,  according  to  Hildeburn.  It  consists  of  twenty  four-line  stanzas,  giving 

"A  Paraphrastical  Parrallel  betwixt  Haman  &  Mr.  ,"  preceded  by  an  acrostical  "Proe- 

mium"  spelling  out  the  name  of  SAMUEL  JENNINGS,  who  presided  at  the  Bradford  trial, 
and  depicting  him  as  an  unjust  judge.  Description  and  information  from  the  original  owned 
by  Dr.  A.  S.  W.  Rosenbach,  formerly  in  the  possession  of  James  G.  Barnwell,  of  Philadelphia. 
A  complete  photostat  of  it  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library.  No  other  copy  is  known. 

[No.  3.]  An  Act  for  Granting  to  their  Majesties  the  Rate  of  |  j  One  Penny 
per  Pound  upon  all  the  Real  and  Per-  1 1  sonal  Estates  within  this  Province  of 
New- York,  1 1  &c.  To  be  allowed  unto  his  Excellency  the  Go-  1 1  vernour,  for 
the  Care  of  the  Province,  November  ||  the  12th,  1692.  ||  [No  imprint.] 
Folio,  pp.  1-4.  Sheetmark  A. 

This  act  differs  from  the  other  separate  acts  and  those  in  the  law  book  in  having  the  title 
printed  in  roman  type  instead  of  italic.  For  that  reason  it  is  placed  before  the  others,  with 
the  presumption  that  it  may  have  been  the  first  one  printed,  early  in  June.  Described  from 
the  Lenox  copy  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  4.]  Province  of  New- York,  ss.  1 1  Anno  Regni  Gulielmi  &  Marias,  | 
Regis  &  Reginas,  1 1  Anglias,  Scotia;,  Francia;  &  Hibernias,  1 1  Quinto.  1 1  An 
ACT  for  Restraining  and  Punishing  Privateers  ||  and  Pyrates.  ||  [No  im- 
print.] Folio,  pp.  1—3.  Sheetmark  A. 

First  issue  of  the  act,  passed  September  10,  1692.  The  form  of  the  heading  not  being  satis- 
factory, it  was  changed  to  read  as  in  No.  5.  It  is  placed  here  in  the  list  because  the  corrected 
form  of  the  heading  agrees  with  the  heading  of  No.  6,  which  has  the  sheetmark  B,  and  there- 
fore must  come  later.  Probably  printed  in  June.  Described  from  the  Lenox  copy  in  The  New 
York  Public  Library. 

[No.  5.]  Anno  Regni  Gulielmi  &  Marias,  ||  Regis  &  Reginas,  [|  Anglias, 
Scotias,  Francias  &  Hibernias,  1 1  Quinto.  1 1  On  the  Tenth  Day  of  September, 
1692.  in  the  ||  Fifth  Year  of  their  Majesties  Reign  this  Act  passed  ||  at  the 
City  of  New- York.  1 1  An  ACT  for  Restraining  and  Punishing  Privateers  | 
and  Pyrates.  1 1  [No  imprint.]  Folio,  pp.  1—3.  Sheetmark  A. 

Second  issue,  with  a  change  in  the  heading,  leaving  out  the  first  line  of  No.  4,  and  adding 
three  lines  giving  the  date  of  enactment.  No  other  alteration  was  made,  the  rest  of  the  act 
being  from  the  same  setting  of  type  in  both  issues.  Described  from  the  Van  Schaack-Vanderpoel 
copy  in  the  Huntington  Library.  A  photostat  reproduction  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


11 


[No.  6.]  Anno  Regni  Gulielmi  &  Marias,  ||  Regis  &  Reginas,  ||  Anglias, 
Scotias,  Francias  &  Hibernias,  1 1  Quinto.  1 1  The  1  Oth  of  April,  Anno  Domini 
1694.  1 1  An  Act  for  raising  six  Thousand  Pound  for  the  payment  1 1  of  three 
Hundred  Volunteers,  and  their  Officers,  to  1 1  be  imployed  in  the  Re-inf  orce- 
ment  of  the  Frontiers  of  1 1  this  Province  at  Albany,  from  the  first  of  May  1 1 
next,  to  the  first  of  May  then  next  following,  in  1 1  the  Year  of  our  Lord 
1694.  |  [Colophon:]  Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to 
King  William  and  \  \  Queen  Mary,  at  the  City  of  New-York,  1 693.  1 1  Folio, 
pp.  (6),  not  paged.  Sheetmark  B. 

First  issue  of  the  act  of  April  10,  1693,  with  the  wrong  year  date  (1694  instead  of  1693) 
at  the  end  of  the  fifth  line.  The  error  must  have  been  noticed  and  corrected  before  many 
copies  were  printed.  The  fact  that  this  has  the  sheetmark  B  shows  that  it  is  later  than  the 
preceding  numbers.  It  is  probably  the  earliest  piece  with  a  full  New  York  imprint.  Probably 
printed  in  June.  Described  from  the  Van  Schaack-Vanderpoel  copy  in  the  Huntington  Library. 
A  reproduction  in  photostat  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  7.]  Anno  Regni  Gulielmi  &  Marias,  |l  Regis  &  Reginas,  ||  Angliae, 
Scotias,  Franciae  &  Hibernian,  1 1  Quinto.  1 1  The  1  Oth  of  April,  Anno  Domini 
1693.  1 1  An  Act  [etc.,  as  in  No.  6,  with  the  same  colophon,  number  of  pages 
and  sheetmark] . 

Second  issue  of  the  earliest  publication  with  a  full  New  York  imprint,  and  with  the  year 
date  in  the  fifth  line  correctly  printed  1693.  Otherwise  there  is  no  difference  between  the 
two  issues,  both  being  from  the  same  setting  of  type.  Described  from  the  Lenox  copy  in  The 
New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  8.]  Anno  Regni  Gulielmi  &  Marias,  ||  Regis  &  Reginas,  ||  Anglias, 
Scotias,  Francias  &  Hibernias,  ||  Quinto.  ||  An  ACT  for  granting  to  King 
William  and  Queen  1 1  Mary  the  Rate  of  One  Penny  per  Pound  upon  the  | 
clear  Value  of  all  the  Real  and  Personal  Estates,  1 1  and  Six  Shillings  per 
Head  upon  such  as  are  not  1 1  otherwise  rated  by  this  Act.  To  be  imployed 
by  the  ||  Governour  of  this  Province  of  Pennsilvania  and  ||  Territories 
thereof,  for  the  Time  being,  towards  ||  the  Support  of  this  Government.  | 
[No  imprint.]  Folio,  pp.  (4),  unpaged.  No  sheetmark. 

The  act  was  passed  on  June  2,  1693,  and  probably  printed  during  the  same  month.  De- 
scribed from  the  Lenox  original  in  The  New  York  Public  Library.  It  is  also  in  the  Charle- 
magne Tower  collection  at  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

[No.  9.]  By  His  Excellency  ||  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and 
Governour  in  Chief  of  the  Province  1 1  of  New- York,  Province  of  Penn- 
silvania, Country  of  New-Castle  and  ||  Territories  and  Tracts  of  Land 


12 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


depending  thereon,  in  America,  and  Vice-  ||  Admiral  of  the  same.  ||  A 
PROCLAMATION  ||  Whereas  our  Soveraign  Lord  and  Lady  William 
and  Mary, . . .  1 1  . . .  1 1  . . .  have  thought  fit  to  take  Their  Province  of  Penn-  1 1 
silvania,  and  Country  of  New-Castle,  &c.  into  Their  Immediate  Care  and  | 
Government,  and  .  .  .  1 1  Commissionated  and  Appointed  Me  Their  Captain 
General  and  Governour  in  1 1  Chief  . . .  1 1  . . .  1 1  . .  .  1 1  .  . .  I  do  hereby  strictly 
prohibit  the  1 1  Breaking  of  the  LORDS  DAY,  all  Prophane  Swearing,  Curs- 
ing, Drunkenness,  1 1  Idleness  and  unlawful  Gaming  .  .  .  1 1  .  .  .  1 1  .  .  .  1 1  .  .  .  | 
. . .  1 1  .  . .  1 1  .  . .  Given  under  my  Hand  at  Philadelphia  the  29th  day  of  April, 
1 693.  1 1  in  the  Fifth  Year  of  Their  Majesties  Reign.  1 1  Ben.  Fletcher.  1 1  God 
Save  King  William  &  Queen  Mary.  |    [No  imprint.]  Folio,  broadside. 

This  is  placed  here  among  the  publications  printed  in  June,  after  Governor  Fletcher  re- 
turned to  New  York.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  it  may  have  been  printed  in  Philadelphia, 
just  before  Bradford  removed  to  New  York.  The  description  is  from  a  photostat  of  the  original 
in  the  Library  of  Congress,  to  which  it  was  given  by  Mr.  Stuyvesant  Fish  of  New  York  about 
1911.  It  was  formerly  owned  by  Prof.  Charles  Edward  Anthon,  who  about  1850  resided  on 
Staten  Island,  and  died  at  Bremen,  Germany,  June  7,  1883.  Information  received  from 
Mr.  Fish.  No  other  copy  is  known. 

[No.  1 0.]  Benjamin  Fletcher  Captain  General  and  Governour  in  [  |  Chief 
of  the  Province  of  New-York,  Province  of  1 1  Pennsilvania,  and  Country  of 
New-Castle,  and  the  1 1  Territories  and  Tracts  of  Land  depending  thereon 
in  1 1  America.  1 1  To  all  Officers  and  Ministers  Ecclesiastical  and  Civil  through- 
1 1  out  the  Provinces  and  Territories  under  my  Government.  1 1  Whereas  I  am 
credibly  informed  that  the  Son  of  Warner  Wessels,  and  1 1  Husband  of  Antie 
Christians,  Inhabitants  and  Sailers  of  the  City  of  ||  New- York,  following 
their  lawfull  Occupation,  were  taken  into  Salley,  1 1  where  they  are  now  in 
miserable  Slavery,  under  the  Power  of  the  Infidell,  .  .  .  |  [etc.,  29  more 
lines.]  ||  Given  under  my  Hand  and  Seal  at  Fort  William  Henry  the  8th 
Day  of  ||  June,  1693.  ||  Ben  Fletcher.  ||  Printed  by  William  Bradford, 
Printer  to  King  William  C5?  Queen  Mary  \  \  at  the  City  of  New-York,  Anno 
1693.  ||  Folio,  broadside. 

A  circular  letter  or  license,  authorizing  the  collection  of  money  to  redeem  the  captives,  and 
designating  the  proper  persons  to  receive  it.  Sallee  is  a  seaport  town  of  Morocco,  on  the  Medi- 
terranean. The  only  known  original  of  this  broadside  is  in  the  New  York  State  Library  at 
Albany.  Description  from  a  photostat  reproduction  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 


[No.  11.]  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Capiteyn  Generael,  en  opper-Gover-  | 
neur  van  de  Provintie  van  Nieuw-Yorke,  de  Provintie  1 1  van  Pennsylvania, 
en't  Landtschap  van  Nieuw-Casteel,  1 1  ende  Terratorien  en  Landeryen,  daer 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


13 


toe  belhorende  ||  in  America.  ||  Aen  alle  Officieren,  ende  Bedienaers,  soo 
Kerkelyke,  als  Burgerlyke  door  de  gantsche  1 1  Provintien  en  Landschappen 
onder  myn  Governement.  1 1  Also  ick  sekerlyk  ge-inf ormeert  ben,  Dat  de 
Soon  van  Warnaer  Wessells  1 1  ende  de  Man  van  Annetie  Christiaens,  In- 
woonders  en  Zeelieden  deser  1 1  Steede  Nieuw-Yorke,  volgende  haer  beroep 
op  gebraght  syn  in  Zale,  1 1  waer  de  selven  nu  syn  in  elendige  Slavernye  onder 
de  Maght  van  de  Ongelovigen,  jj  [etc.,  32  more  lines.]  ||  Gegeven  onder 
myn  Hand  en  Segel  in't  Fort  Willem  Hendrick  de  8ste  Dag  j  |  van  Juny, 
1 693.  1 1  Ben.  Fletcher.  1 1  Gedruckt  tot  Nieuw-Yorke,  by  William  Bradfordt, 
Anno  1693.  ||  Folio,  broadside. 

A  Dutch  translation  of  No.  10.  The  original  is  bound  with  the  Manuscript  Records  of  the 
Collegiate  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  at  No.  1 1 3  Fulton  Street,  New  York.  A  photostat  repro- 
duction was  made  for  The  New  York  Public  Library  in  July,  1921,  from  which  the  descrip- 
tion has  been  made. 


[No.  1 2.]  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and  Governour  in  1 1  Chief 
of  the  Province  of  New- York,  Province  of  Penn-  1 1  silvania,  Country  of 
New-Castle,  and  the  Territories  1 1  and  Tracts  of  Land  depending  thereon, 
in  America.  1 1  To  all  Officers  and  Ministers,  Ecclesiastical  &  Civil,  through-  1 1 
out  the  Provinces  and  Territories  under  my  Government.  1 1  Whereas  I  am 
credibly  informed  that  Cornelius  Christians,  Peter  j  |  Wessels,  Bartholomew 
Rouston,  John  Crage  and  William  Green,  1 1  Inhabitants  and  Sailers  of  the 
City  of  New- York,  following  their  ||  lawfull  Occupation,  were  taken  into 
Salley,  where  they  are  now  in  miserable  1 1  Slavery,  under  the  Power  of  the 
Infidell,  ...  ||  [etc.,  31  more  lines.]  ||  Given  under  my  Hand  and  Seal  at 
Fort  William  Henry  the  8th  Day  of  ||  June,  1693.  ||  Ben.  Fletcher.  || 
Printed  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  King  William  &  Queen  Mary  \ 
at  the  City  of  New-York,  Anno  1693.  ||  Folio,  broadside. 

A  second  circular  letter  to  Warner  Wessels  and  his  friends,  similar  to  the  first  one,  author- 
izing them  to  solicit  and  collect  money  for  the  redemption  of  the  five  other  sailors  named, 
all  from  New  York,  who  were  taken  captive  in  the  same  vessel.  Several  copies  of  this  second 
circular  were  sent  by  the  Rev.  John  Miller,  minister  at  New  York,  to  the  lieutenant-governor 
of  Pennsylvania,  on  August  18,  1693,  with  a  request  to  have  them  distributed  there,  but  the 
Council  were  of  opinion  "That  they  ought  not  to  be  distributed."  See  Minutes  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Council  of  Pennsylvania,  September  19,  1693,  in  Penn.  Colonial  Records,  vol.  1, 
p.  351.  The  only  known  copy  of  the  circular  is  now  in  the  library  of  the  American  Philosoph- 
ical Society  at  Philadelphia,  from  a  photostat  of  which  this  description  was  made. 

The  total  amount  collected  for  redeeming  the  seven  captives  was  £374.  12s.,  contributed 
by  4,302  persons.  For  further  details,  see  Stokes's  "Iconography  of  Manhattan  Island,"  vol.  4, 
p.  380,  and  the  record  cited. 


14 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


[No.  13.]  To  j|  Coll.  Benjamin  Fletcher,  |[  Captain  General  and  ||  Gov- 
ernor ||  In  Chief  ||  Of  the  Province  of  New- York,  Province  of  Penn-  | 
silvania,  Country  of  New-Castle,  &  the  Territories  j|  and  Tracts  of  Land 
thereon  depending,  in  1 1  America,  1 1  And  Vice- Admiral  of  the  same.  1 1  The 
Address  of  some  of  the  Peaceable  and  well  Affected  ||  Free-holders,  and 
Inhabitants  of  the  Town  and  ||  County  of  Philadelphia.  ||  [No  imprint.] 
Folio,  pp.  (3),  unpaged.   No  sheetmark. 

This  address  was  evidently  presented  to  Fletcher,  not  on  his  arrival  in  Philadelphia  in 
April,  but  on  his  departure  in  June,  because  it  expresses  thanks  for  the  appointment  of  their 
fellow-townsman,  William  Markham,  to  be  Lieutenant-Governor.  It  is  subscribed,  "Signed  by 
Us,  in  behalf  of  Our  Selves,  and  Others,"  by  Thomas  Paschall,  Griffith  Jones,  and  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  others,  including  William  Bradford,  who  still  retained  a  book-shop  in  Philadel- 
phia. Probably  printed  in  June.  The  only  copy  known  is  in  the  Public  Record  Office, 
London,  and  is  endorsed  "Rec'd  26  Sept.  1693,  from  Coll.  Fletcher,"  being  mentioned  in 
Fletcher's  letter  of  August  18th  to  Secretary  Blathwayt.  It  was  discovered  and  described  by 
Miss  A.  R.  Hasse,  in  The  New  York  Public  Library  Bulletin,  February,  1903.  A  photostat 
copy  of  the  original  is  now  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  14.]  A  ||  Narrative  ||  Of  an  Attempt  made  by  the  ||  French  of 
Canada  1 1  upon  the  1 1  Mohaques  Country,  1 1  Being  Indians  under  the  Protec- 
tion of  their  Majesties  1 1  Government  of  New- York.  1 1  To  which  is  added,  1 1 

1.  An  Account  of  the  present  State  and  Strength  of  Canada,  given  by  two 
1 1  Dutch-men,  who  have  been  Prisoners  there,  and  now  made  their  escape.  | 

2.  The  Examination  of  a  French  Prisoner.  ||  3.  His  Excellency  Benjamin 
Fletcher's  Speech  to  the  Indians.  1 1  4.  The  Answer  of  the  five  Nations  of  the 
Mohaques  to  his  Excellency.  1 1  5.  Proposals  made  by  the  four  chief  Sachims 
of  the  five  Nations,  to  his  Excellency.  1 1  And  his  Excellency's  Reply  thereto. 
1 1  6.  An  Address  from  the  Corporation  of  Albany  to  his  Excellency,  returning 
Thanks  1 1  for  his  Excellency's  early  Assistance  for  their  Relief,  &c.  1 1  A  Jour- 
nal kept  by  Coll.  Nicholas  Beyard  and  Lieut.  1 1  Coll.  Charles  Lodwick,  who 
attended  his  Excellency  in  ||  this  Expedition.  ||  [Colophon:]  Printed  and 
Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Anno  1693.  |  Folio,  pp.  1  4.  Sheetmarks  A 
and  B  in  twos,  C  in  three. 

This  narrative  was  of  special  interest  to  Governor  Fletcher  on  account  of  the  leading  part 
he  took  in  the  expedition,  and  it  is  likely  that  the  desire  to  have  it  printed  under  his  own  super- 
vision was  one  of  the  reasons  that  led  to  Bradford's  appointment  as  official  printer.  It  must  have 
been  printed  in  June  or  July,  and  copies  forwarded  to  London  without  delay,  as  the  English 
reprint,  entitled  "A  Journal  of  the  Late  Actions  of  the  French  at  Canada,"  was  licensed  Sep- 
tember 11th,  advertised  in  the  "Athenian  Mercury"  of  Saturday,  September  16th,  and  pub- 
lished September  19th,  1693.  The  only  known  copy,  endorsed,  "Rec'd  26  Sept.  1693  from 
Coll.  Fletcher,"  is  in  the  Public  Record  Office,  London,  where  it  was  discovered  by  Miss 
Adelaide  R.  Hasse,  and  described  in  The  New  York  Public  Library  Bulletin,  February,  1903. 
A  complete  photostat  has  been  procured  for  The  New  York  Public  Library. 


X°  HlS  Excellency 

'Benjimin  Flctchtr,  Captain  General  and  Governor  in  Chief  of  Their  Majeflicf  Pro- 
vince of  Nrv-Ti  I,  Province  of  Pennfih  mid,  Country  of  blew-CaAle,  Territories 
and  rra&sof  Land  depending  thereon  in  America,  Vice- Admiral  of  the  fane. 

Tbe  bumbli  AU'tk  of  tlx  Miyv,  R,  crier,  Alder-men  and  Commonality  of  that 
Adjpiiw  dry  of  i\ew-York,  convert  d  in  Common  Council. 

tf*y  h  f  U  a  ft  ynr  Eirtltney; 

WE,  the  Mayor,  Recorder,  Aldermen  and  AffiftanM  of  thii  their  Mijefties  City  of  NEW-YORK,' 
convened  n  pjnmun  O-uncil,  hiving  in  our  Confidtration  the  great  Happtncfs  that  has  attended  thu 
Province  njocrJ,  and  the  particular  Advantages  that  has  accrcwcd  to  this  Their  Ma  cities  City  and 
Corporation  fincc  the  jufpici'ius  Day  of  your  Exccllcncy'samvalroGovcrnias,  cann  .tbutvitbaU  rhanktullncfs 
acknowledge,  1  tiatibrrcat  Benefits  have  only  proceeded  fr-.m  tbeunparrallcl'd  V'igilence,  Diligence  At  Cinducr. 
of  yrur  Excellency,  who  has  n<-t  been  wanting  in  i  he  mod  Difficult  bcalons  to  cxp  fcjour  Person  to  nuny  Dangers 
for  Their  Majerhcs  Service,  audthc  Safety  of  this  Pr«  vincc.  And  being  n>w  W  irncfles  ot  ihc  great  Pam&  \our 
Excellency  hath  larety  taken  at  \lbsny  in  red  King  the  Imdtvit  (whj  were  shaking  in  their  Fidelity)  to  a 
perfect  and  firm  Union  unto  their  Majcllus  Intcrcft,  by  which  means  the  Fr  nticrs.  f  tlm  Pn  vinceja  e  not  only 
ttrcngthened,  but  the  other  rUmote  puis  of  the  Government  tiree'd  from  tbc  duly  Alirnu  and  liicuxuow  ot  the 
Enemy. 

We  therefore,  rnaytf  plei&  fOttr  Excellency,  in  the  decpelt  Seoce  of  fuch  figrul  Favours,  with  all  Duty  and 
hearty  Joyj  pedomta  CjiicrKulate  your  Excellency's  Safe  and  Happy  lucrum  unt<>  this  City,  the  Scatortbcir 
MajsblJ  C/o*crnriK(it.  AnJwithall  do  farther  prcfume  to  address  unto  yi.ur  Excellency,  a*  the  nnly  P.H  n 
and  Means,  next  uaQtheir  mil  facred  Makefiles,  to  wh  m  all  the  prefect  1  ranquilify  of  the  G^vcrnnunr 
u  owing  ,  by  » title  Prurience  all  cur  Back -Hidings  arc  healed,  and  all  cur  late  Hears  and  Anriunoiitics  are 
buried,  that  «  h -f  era  paflcthour  Streets  can  fee  nothing  of  thc'I  okens  Of  Signals  of  War.,  but  Inch  Unanimity 
and  Chcaxfulnct*  aajoogit  the  People,  that  it  is  now  no  mere  a  Qucftion  where  we  fhall  pitch  09/  Tabernacle, 
but  in  the  City,  wbot  wc  may  be  influenced  and  prot«4t*d  by  tbc  inclllmablc  Virtue  *  Prudence  and  Pious 
^ndu&of  your  I ictlkocy 

*  f»rt^tr  ExetlUneyy  As  we  know  there  is  nothing  fo  delightful  to  your  Excellency  « 

Tr*tnt  (Mc  cannot  better  dim  .-nitrate  the  true  Affccbons  wc  bear  y  ur  Excellency,  than  by  praying  your 
Excellency  to  Ixfk  atu  oar  City  ,  and  y.  u  will  find  that  our  Inhabitants  are  daily  erecting  M^aume  its  to 
perpetuate  tlx:  Memory  of  your  Excellency's  Virtue,  wherein  we  have  an  imire  Confidence!  and  will  not 
n  <w  detain' your  EKd'eacy  with  K.ipctiti-.ns  of  former  Requcfts,  but  only  give  joBf  Excellency  aiTurance, 
That  as  hitherto  the  intcrcft  of  this  Cny  hath  never  been  fcpcraic  from  (  but  the  chief  and  only  Support 
of)  the  Prerogative  mJ  Dignity' of  the  Crown  in  this  Province,  fo  that  wc  cannot  permit  oar  fctves  in  the 
Icafl  to  doubt,  but  tbaE  m*h;lit  the  Adminitlration  of  that  Royal  Dignity  relts  in  your  Excdlencv's  Pcrfon, 
Ohich  we  pray  may  alwajs  be)  there  can  be  any  change  in  out  Gates,  but  the  Intcrcft  of  tbe  KING  and 
the  C  I T  \  fhall  be  ever  enc  and  the  fame. 

in  7  '  ».  my  of  oar  Inregnry  therein,  wc  with  all  Humility,  offer  cur  Prayers  to  Almighty  Gr^d  for  the 
prifpenus  Sucecfs,  and  the  long  Lives  of  our  Sovcraign  Lord  and  Lady  King  William  and  Queen  M*ryt 
and  that  your  Excellency  may  live  long  and  G  'Vera  us,  and  be  rhc  only  Pr.itect^r  of  our  City,  and  as  fuch 
we  humbly  pray  1°"  Excellency  to  accept  of  this  CUP  of  GOLD,  in  acknowledgement  of  the  finccre 
and  dutiful!  Am*0*-*  that  is  b-irn  to  your  Excellency,  by  thofe  who  will  aUayes  manifeft  themfchrcs. 

May  it  fleafe  your  Exeelleneyt  Tour  Excellency*! 

Mofi  Dittijkll  dud  Moft  Obedient  ServJntt, 

Stephen  dc  I-ancey,  Brandt  Schuyler,  Abraham  de  Peyfter, 

Th<mas  Clarke,  R<  bert  Dark  in,  James  Graham, 

Jc  hanmsvan  DcfpiegcL       Gerard  Dowe,  William  Bcckman, 

van  bcbaikk,  Ebenezer  WiUfonj  William  Mcnttet^ 

Thcunis  dc  Key,  Johanna*  Kip, 


footed  tod  Soli  by  mmm  Bradford,  Printer  to  King  fPiOitm  and  Queen  lUry  $t  the  dry  of 

siYrw-Yfri,   Anno  Domini  ib?j. 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


15 


[No.  15.]  An  Ordinance  by  the  Mayor,  Recorder,  Aldermen  &  Assistants 
conven'd  in  Common  Council  for  the  ascertaining  the  Dimensions  of  Caske, 
and  regulating  the  abuses  in  the  Tare  of  Flower  .  .  .  Dated  the  1  Oth  day  of 
July,  in  the  fifth  year  of  their  Majesties  Reign  Annoq;  Dom.  1693.  Abra- 
ham D.  Peyster,  Mayor. 

According  to  the  Common  Council  Minutes,  vol.  1,  pp.  324,  325,  it  was  published  the 
10th  day  of  July,  1693.  No  record  of  its  being  printed  has  been  found,  and  publication  may 
have  been  by  announcement  only. 

[No.  16.]  A  ||  Journal  ||  kept  by  ||  Coll.  Stephen  Courtland,  &  Coll. 
Nich.  Beyard,  ||  Of  Their  Majesties  Council  for  the  ||  Province  of  New- 
York,  1 1  Being  appointed  by  the  Council  to  Attend  1 1  His  Excellency  1 1  Ben- 
jamin Fletcher,  Captain  General  and  Governor  1 1  in  chief  of  the  Province  of 
New- York,  Province  of  Pennsilvania,  Country  1 1  of  New-Castle,  &  Territo- 
ries and  Tracts  of  Land  depending  there-  1 1  on  in  America,  and  Vice- Admiral 
of  the  same,  ||  to  ||  Albany  ||  In  Treating  with  the  Indians  of  the  Five 
Nations,  1 1  and  River-Indians  of  that  Province,  in  the  Months  of  June  and  1 1 
July,  1693.  ||  Together  with  the  Propositions  and  Conferences  of  the  said 
Indians  with  1 1  his  Excellency.  And  his  Excellency's  Answers,  &c.  1 1  Printed 
and  Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  their  Majesties,  King  \  \  William 
£s?  Queen  Mary,  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible  in  New-York,  1 693.  1 1  Folio,  pp.  1 5. 
Sheetmarks  [  A] ,  B,  C  and  D  in  twos. 

The  Journal  records  that  Governor  Fletcher  returned  from  Pennsylvania  to  New  York  on 
June  3,  and  gave  orders  to  prepare  for  the  voyage  to  Albany  with  presents  for  treating  with 
the  Indians.  On  June  13  he  set  sail  from  New  York,  and,  the  wind  being  favorable,  reached 
Albany  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th.  The  conferences  with  the  Indians  were  held  from  July  2 
to  July  6,  and  their  friendship  confirmed.  On  July  8  the  Governor  left  Albany,  stopping  on 
the  way  at  Esopus,  and  got  back  to  New  York  on  July  14. 

The  account  of  the  transactions  was  printed  in  July  or  August,  and  is  the  only  publication 
of  the  year  with  a  regular  title-page  and  full  imprint.  ,A  photostat  was  made  for  The  New 
York  Public  Library  from  the  original  in  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale  at  Paris,  the  existence  of 
which  was  unknown  until  the  publication  of  the  catalogue  in  1902,  where  it  is  described 
under  beyard,  and  again  under  courti.and.  % 

[No.  17.]  To  His  Excellency  1 1  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and 
Governor  in  Chief  of  Their  Majesties  Pro-  1 1  vince  of  New- York,  Province 
of  Pennsilvania,  Country  of  New-Castle,  Territories  1 1  and  Tracts  of  Land 
depending  thereon  in  America,  Vice-Admiral  of  the  same.  1 1  The  humble 
Address  of  the  Mayor,  Recorder,  Alder-men  and  Commonality  of  their  | 


16 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Majesties  City  of  New- York,  conven'd  in  Common  Council.  1 1  May  it  please 
your  Excellency ;  1 1  We  .  .  .  being  now  Witnesses  of  the  great  Pains  your  | 
Excellency  hath  lately  taken  at  Albany  in  reducing  the  Indians  (who  were 
shaking  in  their  Fidelity)  to  a  1 1  perfect  and  firm  Union  unto  their  Majesties 
Interest,  .  .  .  1 1  ...  presume  to  Congratulate  your  Excellency's  Safe  and 
Happy  Return  unto  this  City, . . .  1 1  In  Testimony  of  our  Integrity  therein  . . . 
1 1  we  humbly  pray  your  Excellency  to  accept  of  this  CUP  of  GOLD,  in 
acknowledgement  of  the  sincere  1 1  and  dutifull  Affections  that  is  born  to 
your  Excellency  .  .  .  1 1  Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to 
King  William  and  Queen  Mary  at  the  City  of  \  \  New-York,  Anno  Domini 
1693.||    Folio,  broadside. 

Governor  Fletcher's  safe  return  from  Albany  was  the  subject  of  a  meeting  of  the  Common 
Council  at  the  City  Hall,  Friday,  July  14,  when  it  was  ordered  that  the  Recorder  draw  up  an 
Address  to  congratulate  his  Excellency,  and  to  thank  him  for  the  great  care  he  had  lately 
taken  for  the  security  of  the  Province,  and  for  retaining  the  friendship  of  the  Indians.  The 
Mayor  was  also  ordered  to  provide  a  Cup  of  Gold,  to  be  made  of  the  value  of  100  pounds,  for 
presentation  on  behalf  of  the  City  as  a  token  of  their  gratitude.  At  the  next  meeting,  Thurs- 
day, July  20,  the  draft  of  the  Address  was  read  and  approved,  and  the  Mayor  reported  that 
he  had  bought  of  Peter  Jacobs  Marius  twenty  ounces  of  gold,  for  which  he  had  engaged  to 
pay  £106,  and  that  the  gold  had  been  delivered  to  Cornelius  Vanderburgh  to  make  the  cup. 
To  meet  this  expense  it  was  ordered  that  the  annual  rental  of  the  Ferry  to  Brooklyn  should  be 
reserved,  and  that  the  City  Treasurer  receive  the  quarterly  payments  from  the  Ferry  and  pay 
the  same  to  Peter  Jacobs  Marius  until  the  full  amount  had  been  paid. 

The  Address  was  signed  by  Stephen  de  Lancey,  Brandt  Schuyler,  Abraham  de  Peyster,  and 
eleven  others,  and  was  probably  printed  before  the  end  of  July,  as  the  copy  in  the  Public 
Record  Office,  London,  is  endorsed,  "Rec'd  26  Sept.  1693  from  Coll.  Fletcher."  The  actual 
date  of  the  presentation  ceremony  is  not  known.  A  photostat  of  the  original  broadside,  the 
only  one  known,  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library.  It  was  first  described  by  Miss  A.  R. 
Hasse  in  The  New  York  Public  Library  Bulletin,  February,  1903.  See  Minutes  of  the  Com- 
mon Council,  vol.  1,  pp.  325—328,  where  the  Address  is  printed  in  full. 

[No.  18.]  By  His  Excellency  1 1  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and 
Governour  in  Chief  of  the  Province  1 1  of  New-York,  Province  of  Pennsil- 
vania,  Country  of  New-Castle,  and  ||  Territories  and  Tracts  of  Land  de- 
pending thereon,  in  America,  and  Vice-  1 1  Admiral  of  the  same.  1 1  A  PROC- 
LAMATION ||  Forasmuch  as  their  most  Excellent  Majesties,  .  .  .  ||  .  .  . 
have  graciously  been  1 1  pleased  to  Impower  Me  from  time  to  time,  as  I  shall 
judge  it  necessary,  to  Adjourn,  Prorogue,  1 1  and  Dissolve  all  General  Assem- 
blies ...  1 1  ...  I  judge  it  necessary, .  .  .  1 1  .  .  .  that  the  1 1  General  Assembly 
called  and  summoned  to  sit  at  New- York  the  Twenty  Fourth  Day  of  October 
1 1  last  past,  and  continued  by  several  Adjournments,  should  be  Dissolved  . .  . 
||  ...  ||  Given  at  Fort  William  Henry  the  27th  Day  of  July,  in  the  Fifth 
Year  of  Their  Majesties  ||  Reign,  Annoq;  Domini  1693.  ||  Ben.  Fletcher.  | 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


17 


God  Save  King  William  &  Queen  Mary.  1 1  Printed  by  William  Bradford, 
Printer  to  King  William  and  Queen  Mary  at  \  \  the  City  New-York,  Anno 
1693.  |     Folio,  broadside. 

Described  from  a  photostat  of  the  original  in  the  Public  Record  Office,  London,  which  is 
endorsed,  "Rec'd  26  Sept.  1693  from  Coll.  Fletcher."  No  other  copy  has  been  found. 

[No.  19.]  Acts  of  Assembly,  from  April  1691,  to  April  1692,  being  the 
Acts  passed  under  Governor  Sloughter  and  the  Ingoldesby  administration. 
Folio,  pp.  1—52.   Sheetmarks  A-N  in  twos. 

The  printing  of  these  acts,  comprising  the  first  part  of  the  "Laws  &  Acts  of  the  General 
Assembly,"  was  probably  commenced  during  July  or  August.  The  acts  under  Governor  Fletch- 
er's administration  were  not  ready  until  after  the  Ministry  Act  was  passed  in  September.  See 
No.  29,  and  the  completed  book,  No.  3  1 .  Described  from  the  original  in  The  New  York 
Public  Library. 

[No.  20.]  By  His  Excellency  Benjamin  Fletcher,  etc.  A  Proclamation, 
forbidding  the  exportation  of  provisions  from  the  Province  until  further 
orders,  because  they  may  be  needed  for  the  troops  summoned  to  defend  New- 
York  against  a  threatened  attack  by  the  French.  August  19,  1693. 

The  proclamation  is  recorded  in  the  "Calendar  of  Council  Minutes,"  p.  90,  and  in  the 
"English  Manuscripts,"  vol.  39,  p.  93,  as  listed  by  Dr.  E.  B.  O'Callaghan.  It  may  have  been 
printed  as  a  broadside,  but  there  is  no  record  of  a  printed  copy. 

[No.  21.]  By  His  Excellency  1 1  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and 
Governor  in  Chief  of  their  Majesties  ||  Province  of  New- York,  Province 
of  Pennsilvania,  Country  of  New-Castle,  1 1  and  the  Territories  and  Tracts 
of  Land  depending  thereon,  in  America,  and  1 1  Vice-Admiral  of  the  same.  | 
A  PROCLAMATION  1 1  Province  of  New- York,  ss.  1 1  Whereas,  there  is 
Actual  War  between  our  Sovereign  Lord  and  Lady,  William  and  Mary, .  .  . 
and  the  French  King.  And  whereas,  I  have  received  information  that  the 
French  have  designed  a  squadron  of  Ships,  with  Land  Forces,  against  the 
Province  of  New- York.  ...  I  have  therefore  thought  fit,  and  do  hereby 
charge  and  command,  that  the  Inhabitants  of  every  town  .  .  .  forthwith  erect 
a  Beacon,  which,  upon  the  appearance  of  any  Squadron  of  Ships  .  .  .  they  are 
to  set  on  Fire;  . .  .  and  immediately  repair  with  their  Arms  and  Ammunition, 
...  to  march  them  with  all  expedition  to  the  City  of  New- York. .  . .  Given  at 
Fort  William  Henry,  the  25th  day  of  August,  1693.  Annoq;  Regni  Regis 
et  Reginas  Gulielmi  &  Mariae,  Anglian,  &c.  quinto.  Ben.  Fletcher.  God  Save 
King  William  and  Queen  Mary.  Printed  and  sold  by  William  Bradford, 


18 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Printer  to  their  Majesties  King  \  \  William  and  Queen  Mary  at  the  City  of 
New-York.  1693.||    Folio,  broadside. 

The  only  known  copy  of  this  broadside  was  found  by  Dr.  E.  B.  O'Callaghan  among  the 
manuscripts  of  the  State  Department  at  Albany,  and  transferred  for  greater  security  to  the 
State  Library,  where  it  was  framed  and  hung  on  the  wall.  It  was  destroyed  by  fire  when  the 
State  Capitol  was  burned,  March  29,  1911.  The  description  here  is  made  from  the  reprint  in 
John  William  Wallace's  "Address,"  May  20,  1863,  at  the  celebration  by  the  New  York  His- 
torical Society  of  the  Two  Hundredth  Birth  Day  of  Mr.  William  Bradford,  pp.  69—70,  with 
a  few  corrections,  and  the  line  divisions  marked  in  the  heading  and  imprint,  from  Mr.  Henry 
F.  De  Puy's  manuscript  description. 

[No.  22.]  A  Catalogue  of  Fees  ||  Established  by  the  ||  Governour  and 
Council  ||  At  the  Humble  Request  of  the  ||  Assembly.  |  [Colophon:] 
Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  Their  Majesties,  \  \  King 
William  and  Queen  Mary,  at  the  Bible  in  New-York,  1693.  |  Folio,  pp. 
11.   Sheetmarks  A,  [B,]  C,  in  twos. 

Approved  by  the  Governor  and  Council,  September  20,  1693,  and  printed  not  long  after. 
Description  from  the  original  in  The  New  York  Public  Library,  bound  with  the  "Laws  &  Acts" 
of  1694,  to  which  it  belongs. 

[No.  23.]  An  Exhortation  &  Caution  1 1  to  1 1  Friends  1 1  Concerning  buying 
or  keeping  of  1 1  Negroes.  1 1  [Ends  on  page  6:]  Given  forth  by  our  Monethly 
Meeting  in  Philadelphia,  the  ||  13th  day  of  the  8th  Moneth,  1693.  and 
recommended  to  1 1  all  our  Friends  and  Brethren,  who  are  one  with  us  in  our 
Te-  ||  stimony  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  all  others  professing  | 
Christianity.  ||  [No  imprint.]    Quarto,  pp.  6.   Sheetmark  A. 

Printed  by  William  Bradford  after  October  13,  1693.  The  original  was  discovered  by 
Mr.  Charles  R.  Hildeburn  in  the  library  at  Devonshire  Meeting  House,  London.  It  was  writ- 
ten by  George  Keith,  and  is  mentioned  by  Gabriel  Thomas  in  his  "Pensilvania,"  1698, 
pp.  53-54,  and  by  Dr.  Franklin,  in  a  letter  to  John  Wright,  November  4,  1789,  in  "Works," 
vol.  10,  p.  403,  according  to  Dr.  George  H.  Moore,  in  his  preface  to  the  reprint  in  the 
"Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History  and  Biography,"  issued  as  a  separate  pamphlet  with  the 
title,  "The  First  Printed  Protest  against  Slavery  in  America,"  Philadelphia,  1889.  A  photostat 
from  the  Devonshire  copy  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library.  An  imperfect  copy  was  in  the 
James  G.  Barnwell  sale,  at  Philadelphia,  July  13,  1921. 

[No.  24.]  By  His  Excellency  Benjamin  Fletcher,  etc.  A  Proclamation, 
making  known  his  commission  as  their  Majesties  Lieutenant  and  Commander 
in  Chief  of  the  militia  in  the  Colony  of  Connecticut,  and  demanding  compli- 
ance with  his  orders.  Hartford,  October  28,  1693. 

This  is  the  proclamation  referred  to  in  the  next  number.  It  is  preserved  in  the  manuscript 
archives  of  Connecticut,  and  printed  in  the  Connecticut  "Public  Records,"  vol.  4,  pp.  1 1 5-1 1 7. 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


19 


It  has  a  memorandum  that  it  was  given  by  Fletcher  to  the  secretary  to  be  delivered  to  the 
governor,  "but  not  published."  There  is  no  evidence  that  it  was  printed  as  a  broadside. 

[No.  25.]  By  His  Excellency  1 1  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and 
Governor  in  Chief  of  Their  Majesties  Province  of  1 1  New-York,  Province 
of  Pennsilvania,  Country  of  New-Castle,  and  the  Territories  and  1 1  Tracts 
of  Land  depending  thereon  in  America,  and  Vice- Admiral  of  the  same,  Their 
1 1  Majesties  Lieutenant  and  Commander  in  Chief  of  the  Militia,  &  of  all  the 
Forces  by  1 1  Sea  and  Land  within  their  Majesties  Collony  of  Connecticut,  and 
of  all  the  Forts  and  1 1  places  of  Strength  within  the  same.  1 1  A  PROCLA- 
MATION ||  Whereas  by  Proclamation  given  forth  at  Hartford  the  28 
day  of  October  last  past,  I . . .  1 1  . . .  did  then  apply  my  self  unto  the  General 
Assembly  there  sitting  .  .  .  1 1  .  .  .  and  in  the  said  Assembly  caused  my  said 
Commission  to  be  publickly  read  . . .  1 1  And  forasmuch  as  in  my  Return  ...  I 
found  that  1 1  the  said  Proclamation  had  not  been  duely  published  and  made 
known  ...  1 1  ...  I  have  thought  fit  further  1 1  to  Publish  and  Declare  . . .  1 1  . . . 
the  Powers  and  Authorities  in  the  said  Royal  Commission  contained,  1 1  .  .  . 
|  Given  under  my  Hand  and  Seal  at  Arms,  at  Fort  William  Henry  the 
Eight  Day  of  November,  1 693.  And  in  the  Fifth  |  [  Year  of  Their  Majesties 
Reign.  1 1  Ben.  Fletcher.  1 1  God  Save  King  William  &  Queen  Mary.  1 1  Printed 
and  Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  Their  Majesties,  King  William 
and  1 1  Queen  Mary  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible  in  the  City  of  New-York,  1 693.  | 
Folio,  broadside. 

The  original  of  this  proclamation  is  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  a  photostat  copy  is  in 
The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  26.]  By  His  Excellency  1 1  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Captain  General  and 
Governor  in  Chief  of  Their  Majesties  ||  Province  of  New- York,  Province 
of  Pennsilvania,  Country  of  New-Castle,  1 1  and  the  Territories  and  Tracts 
of  Land  depending  thereon  in  America,  and  1 1  Vice- Admiral  of  the  same, 
Their  Majesties  Lieutenant  and  Commander  in  ||  Chief  of  the  Militia,  & 
of  all  the  Forces  by  Sea  and  Land  within  Their  ||  Majesties  Collony  of 
Connecticut,  and  of  all  the  Forts  and  places  of  Strength  1 1  within  the  same.  | 
A  PROCLAMATION  1 1  Whereas  I  am  given  to  understand  that  sundry 
Souldiers  and  Marriners  have  deserted  Their  ||  Majesties  Service,  from 
their  Garrisons  and  Ships  of  War  in  the  Province  of  New- York,  .  .  .  1 1  .  .  . 
For  Prevention  whereof,  ...  1 1  ...  I  have  1 1  therefore  thought  fit,  and  do 
hereby  strictly  require  all  Officers,  Civil  and  Military,  under  my  Com-  [| 


20  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

mand,  .  .  .  1 1  .  .  .  That  then  they  cause  such  Persons  1 1  to  be  secured,  as  De- 
serters from  Their  Majesties  Service,  Fugitive  Servants,  or  Spyes,  untill  they 
shall  1 1  give  Satisfaction  to  the  contrary.  1 1  Given  under  my  Hand  and  Seal 
at  Fort  William  Henry,  the  Thirteenth  Day  of  November,  1693.  Annoq;  | 
Regni  Regis  &  Regina;  Gulielmi  &  Marine,  Anglise,  &c.  Quinto.  ||  Ben. 
Fletcher.  |  j  God  Save  King  William  &  Queen  Mary.  1 1  Printed  and  Sold  by 
William  Bradford,  Printer  to  Their  Majesties,  King  William  \  \  and  Queen 
Mary  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible  in  the  City  of  New-York,  1693.  |  Folio, 
broadside. 

The  only  known  original  of  the  broadside  is  in  the  New  York  State  Library  at  Albany.  A 
photostat  of  it  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  27.]  An  1 1  Account  1 1  of  |  \  Several  Passages  and  Letters  between  his 
Excellency  1 1  Benjamin  Fletcher,  1 1  Captain  General  and  Govern  our  in  Chief 
of  the  Province  of  New- York,  1 1  Province  of  Pennsilvania,  Country  of  New- 
Castle,  &c.  Commissionated  ||  by  their  Majesties  under  the  great  Seal  of 
England,  to  be  their  Lieut.  1 1  and  Commander  in  chief  of  the  Militia,  and 
of  all  the  Forces  by  Sea  1 1  and  Land  within  their  Majesties  Collony  of  Con- 
necticut, and  of  all  the  1 1  Forts  and  places  of  Strength  within  the  same.  | 
And  1 1  The  present  Administrators  of  the  Laws  in  the  1 1  Collony  of  Connec- 
ticut, in  the  Month  of  October,  1693.  ||  [Colophon:]  A  true  Copy,  Exam- 
ined and  allowed  to  be  Printed,  by  M.  Clarkson,  Secretary.  \  \  Printed  and  Sold 
by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  their  Majesties,  King  j  |  William  and  Queen 
Mary,  at  the  Bible  in  New-York,  1 693.  1 1  Folio,  pp.  8.  Sheetmarks  A  and 
B  in  twos. 

The  book  contains  an  account  of  Governor  Fletcher's  journey  to  Hartford  to  publish  his 
Commission  for  taking  command  of  the  Connecticut  militia,  with  the  correspondence  bearing 
dates  from  October  13  to  October  27,  1693.  The  only  known  copy  of  the  original  is  in  the 
John  Carter  Brown  Library  at  Providence,  and  was  formerly  in  the  Ternaux  collection.  A 
copy,  probably  the  same  one,  was  advertised  for  sale  at  4s.  6d.  in  Thomas  Thorpe's  Catalogue 
for  1 836,  p.  6.  A  photostat  copy  and  also  a  pen-and-ink  facsimile  are  in  The  New  York  Public 
Library. 

[No.  28.]  By  His  Excellency  Benjamin  Fletcher,  etc.  A  Proclamation, 
dissolving  the  General  Assembly. 

At  a  Council  held  at  Fort  William  Henry,  November  16,  1693,  his  Excellency  did  offer 
his  opinion  for  dissolving  the  Assembly  by  proclamation,  before  the  shutting  up  of  the  rivers, 
and  assigned  the  reason  that  all  the  inhabitants  may  have  the  benefit  of  a  free  choice,  none 
excepted  that  are  not  under  conviction  of  high  treason  or  felony  otherwise  qualified.  Which 
the  Council  do  approve  of.  Writs  for  a  new  election  were  issued  on  the  30th  November  fol- 
lowing.—  Journal  of  the  Legislative  Council  of  New  York,  p.  48.  The  Proclamation  was 
probably  printed,  but  no  copy  has  been  found. 


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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


21 


[No.  29.]  Acts  passed  in  the  fourth  Sessions  of  1 1  the  General  Assembly, 
begun  in  the  City  of  New-  ||  York,  the  14  day  of  August,  Annoq;  Dom. 
1 692.  1 1  in  the  4th  Year  of  their  Majesties  Reign,  King  1 1  William  and  Queen 
Mary,  under  the  Govern-  1 1  ment  of  his  Excellency  Benjamin  Fletcher,  Esq; 
|  Captain  General  and  Govern  our  in  chief  in  and  ||  over  their  Majesties 
Province  of  New- York,  and  1 1  Territories  thereon  depending  in  America.  | 
Folio,  pp.  53-84.   Sheetmarks  O-X  in  twos. 

Besides  the  acts  passed  in  the  Fourth  Sessions,  August  14  to  September  10,  1692,  pp.  53-58, 
mentioned  in  the  above  heading,  there  are  included  here  those  of  the  two  sittings  of  the  Fifth 
Sessions,  October  24  to  November  14,  1692,  and  March  20  to  April  10,  1693,  pp.  58-81, 
and  also  those  of  the  Sixth  Sessions,  September  12  to  22,  1693,  pp.  81—84.  Together  with 
Numbers  3,  4  and  6,  which  were  printed  separately,  they  comprise  all  the  New  York  acts 
passed  under  Governor  Fletcher's  administration,  including  the  long  delayed  Ministry  Act. 

The  fuller  heading  on  page  5  3  may  be  taken  to  indicate  that  this  second  portion  of  the 
volume  had  the  benefit  of  Governor  Fletcher's  supervision,  and  that  the  printing  was  perhaps 
not  done  until  after  the  dissolution  of  the  Assembly  mentioned  in  the  next  preceding  number. 
The  volume  was  not  completed  and  issued  with  a  title  and  table  of  contents  until  January, 
1694,  as  described  under  No.  31.  From  the  original  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  30.]  An  1 1  Almanack  1 1  For  the  Year  of  Christian  Account  1 1  1 694.  1 1 
And  from  the  Creation  of  the  World  1 1  5661.  1 1  But  by  Keplas  Computation 
5687.  ||  Being  the  second  after  Leap- Year,  ||  The  Epact  is  14.  Golden 
Number  4.  1 1  and  Dominical  Letter  G.  1 1  Containing  Matters  Necessary  and 
1 1  Useful,  chiefly  accomodated  to  the  1 1  Lat.  of  40  Degrees,  but  may,  with- 
out ||  sensible  Error  serve  the  Places  adjacent,  ||  from  Newfound-Land  to 
the  Cape  of  1 1  Virginia.  1 1  By  Daniel  Leeds,  Philomat.  1 1  [Motto  in  six  lines.] 
|  Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford  at  \\  the  Bible  in  New-York, 
1694.  ||  Small  octavo,  (12)  leaves,  unpaged. 

The  first  almanac  printed  in  New  York,  probably  early  in  December,  1693.  The  almanac 
for  1693  was  printed  in  Philadelphia.  The  calendar  begins  with  January,  the  xi  Month,  and 
ends  with  December,  the  x  Month.  An  advertisement  on  the  second  leaf  states  that  the  Laws 
of  the  Province  will  shortly  be  ready.  On  the  verso  of  the  eleventh  leaf  begins  a  list  of  "Books 
to  be  sold  by  William  Bradford  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible  in  New- York,  as  also  in  Philadelphia, 
1694,"  which  was  continued  on  the  (missing)  twelfth  leaf.  Two  copies  are  known,  that 
belonging  to  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  which  lacks  two  leaves,  and  one  in  the 
Huntington  Library,  lacking  the  last  leaf.  A  photostat  reproduction  from  the  Huntington 
copy  is  in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 

[No.  31.]  The  1 1  Laws  &  Acts  1 1  of  the  1 1  General  Assembly  1 1  for  1 1  Their 
Majesties  Province  j|  of  ||  New- York,  ||  As  they  were  Enacted  in  divers 
Sessions,  the  first  of  1 1  which  began  April,  the  9th,  Annoq ;  Domini,  1 1  1 69 1 .  1 1 
At  New-York,  ||  Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford,  Printer  to  their 


22 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Majesties,  King  \  \  William  &  Queen  Mary ,  1694.  ||  Folio,  pp.  (4),  1—84, 
besides  the  three  separately  printed  acts  and  the  Catalogue  of  Fees.  Sheet- 
marks  A-N  and  O-X,  as  described  under  Nos.  19  and  29. 

The  following  announcement  of  publication  appeared  on  the  third  page  of  the  almanac 
early  in  December,  1693: 

ADVERTISEMENT. 

The  Laws  of  the  Province  of  New- York  will  shortly  be  printed,  whereto  every 
one  may  have  recourse  to  know  the  exact  Time  of  Markets,  Fairs,  Courts, 
Excise,  Rates  and  Imposts  upon  Goods,  &c.  and  therefore  may  omit  them  here. 

When  the  book  was  finished,  probably  in  January,  1694,  a  general  title-page  and  a  table  of 
contents  in  two  pages  were  prefixed.  The  three  acts  issued  separately  as  no.  3,  4  and  6,  were 
not  reprinted,  but  the  remaining  copies  of  each,  together  with  the  Catalogue  of  Fees,  were 
bound  with  the  rest.  The  titles  of  these  three  acts  were  included  in  the  table,  not  in  their 
proper  order  with  the  other  acts,  but  grouped  together  without  page  references.  The  completed 
volume,  therefore,  comprised  Nos.  19,  29,  3,  4,  6,  and  22,  already  described. 

Mr.  Charles  R.  Hildeburn,  in  his  bibliographical  account  of  the  book,  prefixed  to  the 
Grolier  Club's  facsimile  reprint,  assumed  that  the  printing  of  the  book  was  not  begun  before 
February,  1694,  because  of  the  two  statements  in  the  almanac  that  "Truth  Advanced,"  by 
George  Keith,  "is  now  in  the  Press,"  and  that  "The  Laws .  .  .  will  shortly  be  printed."  These 
two  statements,  however,  are  not  to  be  taken  literally.  They  are  printer's  terms,  which  were 
used  loosely,  sometimes  to  express  intention  instead  of  actual  fact,  and  the  words  "now  in  the 
press,"  as  well  as  "This  day  published,"  were  often  repeated  for  months  in  the  newspapers 
of  the  day. 

It  seems  more  reasonable  that  the  legislative  printing  should  have  had  first  attention  over 
any  work  that  Bradford  undertook  for  others.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  printing  of  the 
book  is  placed  here  mostly  in  the  year  1693,  the  first  52  pages  being  described  as  No.  19,  and 
the  remainder  as  No.  29. 

Nine  copies  of  the  book  are  known,  of  which  six  are  in  public  institutions,  as  follows:  two 
copies  in  the  New  York  State  Library  at  Albany,  and  one  each  in  the  New  York  Society  Library, 
The  New  York  Public  Library,  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Huntington 
Library.  Four  of  the  nine  copies  are  more  or  less  defective. 

[No.  32.]  An  Ordinance  Established  by  the  Mayor,  Recorder,  Aldermen 
&  Assistants  convened  in  Common  Council  for  the  raising  of  three  pence  upon 
every  pounds  value  of  all  the  Real  and  personal  Estates  of  all  and  every  the 
Freeholders,  Inhabitants  and  Sojourners  within  the  said  City,  to  be  Imployed 
for  the  Building  the  Battery  and  platform  to  be  erected  in  the  said  City,  &c. 

The  above  ordinance  was  passed  by  the  New  York  City  Common  Council,  Thursday,  Jan- 
uary 25,  1694,  and  confirmed  by  the  Governor  and  Council  on  the  same  day.  On  Friday  the 
26th,  after  the  ringing  of  three  bells,  it  was  publicly  read  and  ordered  to  be  printed.  It 
appeared  probably  in  the  form  of  a  broadside.  No  copy  has  been  found.  See  Minutes  of  the 
Common  Council,  vol.  1,  pp.  345—348,  where  it  is  recorded  in  full. 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


23 


[No.  33.]  Some  Seasonable  Considerations  for  the  Good  People  of  Con- 
necticut. New-York:  Printed  by  William  Bradford.  1694.  Quarto,  pp.  45 
or  more. 

No  copy  has  been  found  of  this  anonymous  publication,  which  probably  appeared  early 
in  1694.  The  authorship  has  been  attributed  to  Gershom  Bulkeley,  of  Wethersfield,  Connec- 
ticut. It  contained  at  least  45  pages,  as  shown  by  the  extracts  quoted  in  the  reply  which  was 
ordered  by  the  Governor  and  Assistants  at  Hartford,  on  April  23,  1694,  to  be  "forthwith 
Printed."  This  reply  was  entitled: 

Their  Majesties  Colony  ||  of  ||  Connecticut  ||  in  New-England  ||  Vindi- 
cated, ||  From  the  Abuses  ||  Of  a  Pamphlet,  Licensed  and  Printed  ||  at 
New- York  1694.  Intituled,  j|  Some  Seasonable  Considerations  for  the  | 
Good  People  of  Connecticut.  |[  By  an  Answer  Thereunto.  ||  ...  ||  Boston  in 
New-England.  ||  Printed  by  Bartholomew  Green.  Anno  Dom.  1694.  ||  Quarto, 
pp.  43.  Copies  in  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society  and  The  New  York 
Public  Library. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Governor  and  Council,  February  15,  1694,  "William  Bradford, 
printer,  having  exhibited  an  account  of  sundryes  printed  by  direcon  of  his  Excellency  and 
Council  for  the  use  of  the  Government,  amounting  to  a  considerable  value,  which  cannot  be 
supported  by  his  salary,  this  board,  in  consideracon  of  his  extraordinary  services  and  the  print- 
ing of  a  book  intituled  'Seasonable  consideracons  offered  to  the  good  feofle  of  Connecticut? 
have  corrected  the  said  account,  and  Ordered  a  Warrant  issue  for  the  payment  of  thirty  pounds 
to  the  said  William  Bradford."  —  Council  Minutes,  vii,  54,  in  Wilson's  "Memorial  History 
of  New  York,"  vol.  I,  p.  509,  note. 


[No.  34.]  By  His  Excellency  Benjamin  Fletcher,  etc.  A  Proclamation, 
for  a  Fast  Day  in  March. 

The  governor's  council  orders  that  a  proclamation  be  issued  for  a  day  of  humiliation,  fast- 
ing, and  prayer. —  Cal.  Coun.  Min.,  95,  quoted  in  Stokes's  "Iconography,"  vol.  4,  p.  383, 
under  the  marginal  date  of  March  3,  1694. 

[No.  35.]  Anno  Regni  Gulielmi  &  Marias,  Regis  &  Reginse,  ||  Anglise, 
Scotias,  Franciae  &  Hiberna,  Sixto.  ||  The  24th  of  March,  Anno  Dom. 
1694/5.  ||  An  Act  for  the  raising  and  paying  one  hundred  and  ||  seventy 
Men  for  the  securing  of  the  Fronteers  of  1 1  this  Province,  in  the  City  and 
County  of  Albany.  ||  [No  imprint.]  Folio,  pp.  85-92.  Sheetmarks  Y  and 
Z  in  twos. 

The  first  supplement  to  the  Law  Book  of  1 694,  and  the  first  session  of  the  Fourth  Assembly, 
which  lasted  from  March  1  to  March  26,  1694.  There  are  three  typographical  errors  in  the 
heading:  (1)  Hiberna  for  Hibernian,  (2)  Sixto  for  Sexto,  and  (3)  1694/5  for  1693/4. 
Four  other  acts  are  included  besides  the  one  titled  in  the  heading.  Described  from  the  original 
in  The  New  York  Public  Library. 


24 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


[No.  36.]  Truth  Advanced  ||  in  the  ||  Correction  ||  of  many  ||  Gross  & 
hurtful  Errors ;  ||  Wherein  is  occasionally  opened  &  explained  many  great 
and  1 1  peculiar  Mysteries  and  Doctrines  of  the  1 1  Christian  Religion.  1 1  By 
George  Keith.  ||  Whereunto  is  added,  |j  A  Chronological  Treatise  of  the 
several  Ages  1 1  of  the  World:  1 1  Showing  the  Intervals  Time  and  Effects  of 
the  Seven  Churches,  1 1  Seven  Seals,  Seven  Trumpets,  and  seven  Vials,  called, 
The  seven  last  1 1  Plagues,  and  the  various  dreadful  Effects  that  are  like  to 
ensue  at  the  1 1  pouring  forth  of  each  of  them,  which  is  near  at  hand.  1 1  To- 
gether with  an  Account  of  the  Time  of  the  Churches  going  1 1  into  the  Wilder- 
ness, her  Return,  full  Restoration,  and  Universal  1 1  spreading  of  the  glorious 
Gospel  into  all  Nations  of  the  Earth.  1 1  As  also,  the  Time  of  the  Personal 
Anti-christ  his  Reign  and  last  1 1  Persecution ;  With  the  Time  of  the  Prophe- 
cying,  Killing  and  Rising  j  |  again  of  the  two  Witnesses.  1 1  And  Lastly,  Con- 
cerning the  Thousand  Years  Reign  of  the  1 1  Saints  with  Christ  yet  to  come, 
and  time  of  beginning  thereof,  only  |  J  by  way  of  Essay  and  Hypothesis.  | 
Printed  in  the  Year  1694.  ||  Quarto,  pp.  (10),  184;  A  Chronological  Ac- 
count of  the  several  ages  of  the  World,  pp.  32. 

Advertised  at  the  end  of  the  almanac  for  1694  as  "now  in  the  Press."  The  author  is  said 
to  have  sailed  for  England  in  January  or  February,  1694,  and  it  has  been  suggested  that  the 
printer's  apology  for  the  typographical  errors  is  evidence  that  it  was  not  completed  until  after 
that  date.  The  Chronological  Account  has  its  own  title-page,  with  imprint,  Printed  in  the 
Year  1694.  Copies  are  in  the  Huntington  Library,  the  John  Carter  Brown  Library,  the  New 
York  Historical  Society,  and  other  libraries. 

[No.  37.]  William  Lancaster's  Queries  ||  to  the  ||  Quakers,  ||  With  The 
||  ...  ||  ...  ||  [New  York:  Printed  by  William  Bradford,  1693  or  later.] 
Twelvemo. 

A  fragment  comprising  portions  of  two  leaves,  the  title  and  preface,  was  found  as  an  end 
sheet  in  the  binding  of  a  copy  of  Daniel  Leeds's  "Temple  of  Wisdom,"  printed  by  Bradford 
at  Philadelphia  in  1688,  now  belonging  to  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania.  The  binding 
must  have  been  done  after  Bradford's  removal  to  New  York,  because  there  are  references  in  the 
fragment  to  the  "Breach  and  Division.  .  .among  the  Quakers  here  in  America,"  which  would 
indicate  a  period  as  late  as  1693.  In  the  manuscript  catalogue  of  books  owned  by  Francis  Daniel 
Pastorius,  of  Germantown,  about  the  year  1715,  there  is  a  title,  "William  Lancasters  ques- 
tions," which  is  perhaps  the  same  work.  It  was  bound  at  the  end  of  other  pamphlets  in  a 
volume  which  began  with  George  Keith's  "Refutation  of  the  Three  Opposers  of  Truth," 
printed  at  Philadelphia  by  Bradford  in  1690.  See  Learned's  Life  of  Pastorius,  1908,  p.  278. 

[No.  38.]  A  Catechism  for  Children  and  others.  [New  York:  Printed 
by  William  Bradford,  1693  or  later.]  Twentyfourmo. 

The  above  title  is  advertised  at  the  end  of  the  almanac  for  1694,  among  books  to  be  sold 
by  William  Bradford  at  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  Fragments  of  a  similar  catechism  or 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  PRINTING  IN  NEW  YORK 


25 


primer  were  found  as  end  sheets  in  the  binding  of  the  same  copy  of  Leeds's  "Temple  of 
Wisdom,"  mentioned  under  the  preceding  number.  Mr.  Charles  R.  Hildeburn,  who  first  made 
the  discovery,  thought  they  were  part  of  a  reprint  of  the  New  England  Primer,  but  Mr.  Paul 
L.  Ford  suggested  that  they  might  rather  be  from  an  American  edition  of  the  "Protestant 
Tutor,"  also  by  Benjamin  Harris.  Bradford  imported  catechisms  and  primers  from  England, 
and  advertised  them  for  sale;  but  the  shape  and  condition  of  these  fragments  show  them  to  be 
waste  sheets  from  an  edition  printed  in  his  own  office.  See  Ford's  "New  England  Primer," 
1897,  p.  17,  and  plate  vi  at  pp.  22—23. 

The  preceding  list  includes  a  dozen  titles  that  are  represented  by  a  single 
surviving  copy,  and  half  a  dozen  more  known  only  from  the  records.  There 
must  have  been  others  which  have  disappeared  entirely.  Although  the  first 
two  titles  are  claimed  for  New  York,  the  evidence  is  not  conclusive.  Brad- 
ford may  have  done  some  printing  in  Philadelphia  during  the  month  of  May, 
and  have  delayed  his  removal  until  the  governor  went  back  to  New  York 
in  June.  He  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Philadelphia  Address,  which, 
although  undated,  was  evidently  presented  in  May  or  June.  The  exact  date 
of  Bradford's  appointment  is  determined  by  the  entry  in  the  Council  Min- 
utes for  October  12,  1693,  where  a  warrant  was  ordered  to  be  issued  for 
twenty  pounds,  being  his  salary  for  six  months,  due  on  the  1  Oth  preceding. 
The  next  payment  was  ten  pounds,  for  one  quarter's  salary,  to  January  10, 
1 694.  These  references  were  discovered  by  Dr.  George  H.  Moore,  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society,  in  the  manuscript  records  at  Albany,  and  first 
printed  in  Wallace's  "Address,"  p.  63. 


